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Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Hey there friends! Rebecca here and today I'm sharing my love for our Outline alphabet. I've always collected alphabet stamps because I enjoy mixing & matching fonts and typography is my jam. I might be particularly biased on this one since I designed it! Here's how I've used it so far.....

The chunky letters will make your key words stand out and the best part??! Adding color! No tiny spaces to try and fill in either. These verses made a big impact on me during some days when I was really wondering if God could use a girl as messy as me. He says YES, I CAN!

Next up....

This time I paired this featured alpha with my own hand lettering. and since each of these letters in the Outline Alpha was hand-drawn as well, no one will ever know that you used stamps! These verses discuss spiritual wisdom vs worldly wisdom and the natural man vs the spiritual man. I need to continue to put my faith in God and all that He is, knowing that by His power He's got it all under control.

AND LASTLY.......And LastLy.....and lastly......hey, is there an echo in here?

These verses in John 13 were a great opportunity to use lots of ECHO stamps. Break out all your alphabets friends! I'm sure many other Scriptures could be used for this same thought, but I highlighted "For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you" and "If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them". You can see the Outline Alpha here (and our Cold Coffee Alpha as well) and I meditated on how to live so that I really DO echo Jesus. Our lives should be resonating with the original example that He set. Are you an echo, echo, Echo??!

Monday, August 29, 2016

I received these two stamp sets at the same time and when I opened the envelope and saw the stamp sets together I immediately knew I wanted to use them both on a journaling page. This time I chose to make a page in my art journal instead of my bible because I can use lots of water on my art journal (my Dutch bible has even thinner pages than most English bibles) and I don't have to think about the materials I use. The coloring of this page took some time to do, but that gave me more time to think about the message: Draw me close.

Some days it literally feels like your heart breaks and I think this image really manages to capture the feeling of God as a comforter when you feel heartbroken. I drew a circle as the focal point for my page and used the images and message from the stamp set My Comforter. After I stamped these I masked of the circle and started stamping the flowers around it. The flowers only touch the circle and don't touch each other so that saved me some masks for the flowers ;). I colored this page with watercolor brushes and water.

Saturday, August 27, 2016

Hello, friends! I am so excited to be on the blog today! A little about me: My name is Andrea; and I'm a wife of a great guy and a mom of 2 teen daughters. I discovered Bible journaling in February 2016 and have been so blessed through it! I'm spending more time in God's precious Word and being creative- a win, win! I discovered SNSS shortly after I began journaling. And I LOVE their stamps! I was humbled when asked to be part of this amazing team.

Let's get into the Word!

In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul is discussing aspects of life: being married or unmarried, divorce, and widowhood. In verses 20 and 24, Paul says very similar things and the gist is this: God calls us to certain conditions in life and we should "bloom" in whatever condition He has placed us in. Hmmm...that can be hard, can't it??!! Sometimes our place in life might not be where WE want to be. But GOD always has a reason for where He puts us. And since He is trustworthy, we can trust Him through those times. He is with us in every situation and He causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him and are called to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

For the page, I had great fun using Scribble Flowers and the Scribble Flowers Dies! I stamped the images on card stock, then cut them out with the dies. The dies are so easy to use and can work with your favorite type of die cutting machine! I colored the images with chalk pastels. I wanted to be able to read the words beneath the flowers, so I attached them to a strip of transparency, then attached it to the page with washi tape. That way, I can just flip back the flowers when I want to read the text! If you have any questions about this technique, please comment and I'll try to get your questions answered!

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Tonight (after 2 cups of coffee) I sat down to spend some time in God's word. As I did, I came across John and noticed I had some verses underlined, when I took a closer look I knew exactly how I wanted to illustrate this page and exactly which stamps to use!!

The story of the Samatitan Woman is a well known bible story. The woman is not a Jew and it was unheard of for a Jew to associate with Samaritans. So when Jesus asked the woman for water she, along with the disciples, could hardly believe it. One thing I love most about Jesus is His heart for people! Red and Yellow, Black and White, they are all precious in His sight!

Can I get an AMEN!?!?

However verse 39-42 gave me a different perspective on the story.... All the towns people (Samaritans mind you) were beginning to believe in Jesus just because of the woman's stories of her encounter with Him. But it wasn't until the people sought out Jesus and invited Him into their homes, did they really get to know Him and truly know that He was the SAVIOR OF THE WORLD.

I believe this story still rings true today! We as children and adults alike, grew up going to church or maybe not, and usually took on the belief of others because of their stories, but once we accept Jesus as our Savior, invite Him into our hearts and truly get to know Him, we then have a trust and an unshakable faith that He is indeed the Savior of the World!

My prayer for you today is that You have accepted Jesus as your savior and you know and trust Him, and that if not you would leave a comment so that myself or someone else could speak with you about it. I pray that whatever reason you choose to use these awesome stamps, it serves as a reminder that Jesus has overcome the World and we can fully trust our hearts to Him.

Monday, August 22, 2016

Jeremy Camp is often stuck in my head! I love his soulful voice and the message found in his music. "Revive Me" is one of my all time favorites and I've been dwelling on the lyrics for quite a while anticipating some time to journal in my bible.

I'm focused on the Psalms with this message. Originally, I thought it would only be a one page entry. So often, however, as I began my study, I found more and more that spoke straight into my heart......I was originally just reading Psalm 143, but you can see from my highlights that so much from several of the Psalms struck me. Psalm 143, itself, is full of a pleading that I think is reflective of a place most of us know well. It's a quest, at least for me, for revival:

"I meditate on all that you have done

I ponder the work of your hands.

I stretch out my hands to you; my soul

thirsts for you like a parched land."

From Jeremy:

"Consider my afffliction and please deliver me

Plead my cause and redeem me

Revive me, according to your loving kindness

Revive me, that I may seek your word..."

You're singing now, aren't you? I've had this idea implanted in my noodle since the Fill Me Up set was released a few months ago. In addition to Fill Me Up, I also used All of Me Alpha and a bunch of different distress inks. It felt good to journal again after a bunch of busy and stressful weeks.....reviving even :)

Thursday, August 18, 2016

Hello friends! How many ways can you think of to praise the Lord? Psalm 150 lists several ways to praise the Lord, but you can probably think of more. Praising the Lord invites His presence into our circumstances AND in His presence is fullness of joy…doubt, worries, and fear flee! Chains and bonds are broken just as they were for Paul and Silas. No matter what you are going through, the Lord is worthy of praise…
"His grace saves us,
His mercy spares us,
and His love pardons us!"

(from a morning and evening devotional)

I've been wanting to try using Color Burst pigment powders on a Bible Journaling page and finally decided to just do it! I did prep the page three times with Dina Wakley Clear Gesso since the page was going to get pretty wet. First a section of the page was masked off so the music background from the new Music to My Ears stamp set could be clear embossed in the middle. Then the magic…sprinkle on the powders (I used yellow, tangerine, fuchsia, and crimson) and squirt with water. A roll of paper towels helped to soak up the extra water and each color was dried before applying the next color. There was NO bleed through! A little sponging helped the embossing show up a little better. Elements from the I Am Loved, Seek Him, and Note This stamp sets were added to the page along with some hand lettering and a few more notes from the Music to My Ears stamp set.

Monday, August 15, 2016

"The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing."

Zephaniah 3:17 (ESV)

"...He will exult over you with loud singing."

Exult: to show or feel elation or jubilation, especially as the result of success

Wow, wow, wow. God not only sings over us, but he does it with a feeling of elation and jubilation. I love how the definition says, "especially as the result of success." We are his success.

Heart check: Do I exult over Him in my praise and worship? Or do I get distracted and half-heartedly sing my way through Sunday worship? Do I praise him when I'm frustrated? Or only when things are going my way?

Heres the thing, God exults over us always. In every season and circumstance, whether we are drawing near or running away, He sings over us. His love is so undeserving but abundantly giving, and deeply beautiful.

Let us be worshippers that exult over Him. He is so deserving of it, friends.

Thursday, August 11, 2016

{jane bosi} Happy Day, Sweet Friends!! I'm focused, unfortunately, on the storm, lately. But, GOOD NEWS....that focus has really been on the way He carries me; the ways I find Him in the middle of the storm and--strangely, my gratitude for the storm. I'm forever amazed and grateful that I find Him there.

I was anxious to use the brand new Scribble Flower set! The coordinating dies sure made this little 3 x 3 canvas a piece of cake! After applying each flower (stamped on tissue) with a clear glaze, I was sure to let the piece dry completely. I used acrylic paints to add color to each one. When that was all dry, I went over some of the black with a marker to make it POP! again.

The focal sentiment is such a great image and wonderful reminder, Calms His Child. I love these bigger sentiments for wall art and other home decor items!

If your storm is currently raging, be sure you are not alone! Pray for calm--He will meet you there!

Monday, August 8, 2016

Hiya there Sweet N' Sassy friends!! I am so excited to be on the blog today!!

Let me introduce myself.... My name is Catherine McCain and I have only been acquainted with SNSS for about a month now, and I am TRULY blessed to be. The amazing people behind the scenes are a breath of fresh air! They truly have a love for Christ and a talent for stamps! I am a 33 year old wife and mom to 4 beautiful girls. I have been Bible Journaling for a little over 2 years now and I'm addicted. I was very shocked and humble when I was asked to be apart of this amazing company!

OK onto the good stuff. This month's new releases are to die for! Their latest one, Scribble Flowers, is my favorite so far! Not only does it have the cutest flowers but it has an array of choices! Little flowers, big flowers and some tiny flowers too! The leaf selection makes me stamping fingers tingle! Did I mention that I love all things flowers?

Look how Beautiful....

I have loved using these in my bible journaling but today I used them to make a tip in card for my Bible. I even did a small process video to go along.

Here's the finished product!!!

There is so much more you could do with just this simple stamping. You could color in the flowers and leaves, use colored ink and oh so much more! If you happen to go get these beauties, be sure and post it and tag Sweet N' Sassy Stamps!

Thursday, August 4, 2016

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Psalm 73:26 (ESV)

I am in a season of wait. Actually, most of us could probably say that we are in seasons of wait. Life with Jesus is always an adventure and it is never dull. He doesn't fulfill one promise and then thats it. No, God is constantly working in us and through us. He has wonderful plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11) and each promise leads to another, and another, till our ultimate promise, eternity in Heaven, is fulfilled.

I will admit to you that I am not the most patient person. Perhaps this is why my season of wait is so long, God is teaching me patience. I am learning, and God so lovingly never gives up on me, even when I want to give up on him. There are days where I question everything (I'm also an over-thinker) and I wonder if I'm really on the path God wants me on. There have been times where I have wondered, "What am I doing wrong? What do I need to fix? What is holding up this promise?" I have wondered, like the writer of Psalm 73, why there are people who do not follow God and seemingly have everything.

Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.

All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence.

For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning.

Psalm 73:12-14 (ESV)

Have you ever felt that way? The enemy will creep up and start whispering these lies. I could type out the entire Psalm, but I encourage you to go read it for yourself. Read and see what the Psalmist says and realizes. It is SO.GOOD. God alone is my portion. He fulfills every desire and need that I could ever have.

For this bible entry, I used the "Scribble Flowers" stamps that will be released tomorrow, August 5th! So be on the lookout! I love, love, love, florals and these were perfect to use for my cascading flowers. Also, the alpha stamp is "Love Ya Like a Sister." Below is a close up of the "Scribble Flowers."